NEW ORLEANS, LA – Attorney General Jeff Landry’s Cyber Crime Unit (CCU) has arrested two registered sex offenders on multiple charges of child pornography.

“These horrendous Internet crimes against children continuously inflict damage, said General Landry. “Every time one of these videos or images is viewed, the child is re-victimized.”

Jonathan Michael Ruiz, 36 of 4300 North Prieur Street in New Orleans, was booked on 550 counts of Possession of Sexual Abuse Images/Videos of Children under the age of 13. He was arrested and booked into the Orleans Parish Prison following a joint investigation between General Landry’s CCU, the State of Louisiana Probation and Parole Office, the Orleans District Attorney's Office, and the New Orleans Police Department.

Randolph Ard, 62 of 69013 Hwy. 1058 in Kentwood, was booked on 10 counts of Possession of Sexual Abuse Images/Videos of Children under the age of 13. He was arrested and booked into the Tangipahoa Parish Jail following a joint investigation between General Landry’s CCU, the State of Louisiana Probation and Parole Office, and the Tangipahoa Sheriff's Office. Ard is a registered sex offender who has previously been convicted of indecent behavior with juveniles and pornography involving juveniles.

“As Attorney General, I am committed to doing all that I legally can to protect our State’s children from the vile predators roaming our streets,” added General Landry. “Our office remains dedicated to working with our law enforcement partners and using every tool available to bring these despicable criminals to justice.”

Ruiz is currently on probation for similar crimes, and Probation and Parole has placed a hold on him. Being that Ruiz is on a second or subsequent conviction for the intentional possession of pornography involving juveniles, he faces the possibility of being fined not more than seventy-five thousand dollars and imprisonment at hard labor for not more than forty years, without the benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence.

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General Landry’s CCU has investigated thousands of computer crimes that have victimized children from infants to 16 years of age. To report child exploitation, call the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation at 800-256-4506.